


Breathe Again

by Tortellini



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Acceptance, Alex Mercer Has Anxiety (Julie and the Phantoms), Alex Mercer's Parents Are Homophobic (Julie and The Phantoms), Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Based on a Tumblr Post, Boyfriends, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Established Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Holding Hands, Homophobia, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, Mentioned Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Period-Typical Homophobia, Reggie Peters Has ADHD (Julie and The Phantoms), Relationship(s), Romantic Fluff, Self-Acceptance, Wordcount: 500-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:16:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29120331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tortellini/pseuds/Tortellini
Summary: Alex Mercer is an anxious person. But he does his best to push that to the side to support those he loves who have it a lot worse than him. When he meets Willie though, he realizes then that maybe it's time to let someone else take the load off of his shoulders for awhile.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 82





	Breathe Again

Alex Mercer doesn't really remember the exact moment when he started classifying himself as an anxious person. He's never been diagnosed with something specific. And it's not like he really needs to be. I mean, one of his best friends Reggie has ADHD. That's something to actually be concerned about. The fact that Alex cries too easily, and wrings his hands when he's nervous, won't look girls in the eye

( _Yet, his father says with a cold smile)_

is nothing. He'll grow out of it.

And really, what does he even have to be anxious about in the first place, Alex asks himself time and time again. Because his parents are great. They're fine. They don't scream themselves hoarse like Reggie's do. Alex doesn't spend nights at his other best friend Luke's house like Reggie does just so he can get some goddamn peace and quiet. So he should count himself lucky, right? Right. 

And Alex does. He wears _faggot_ and _pansy_ like badges. He lifts his head to meet eyes. And he shoves down his anxiety.

* * *

And see twenty-five years later, when the 90s have melted away to what is now apparently 2020, Alex gets overwhelmed for a whole other reason. He _knew_ they shouldn't have eaten those hot dogs! Seriously, who eats food out of the trunk of someone's car?! He counts himself lucky that he hadn't remembered much of his death. Or the death of his two best friends. The consolation is that they're together. 

Reggie won't have to hear his folks scream at each other. Luke won't have to see his mother's cold disappointment anymore. 

Alex won't... Well. He doesn't let himself hope that far. 

Not until he meets Willie, that is.

* * *

Long, long hair worn down. Small eyes that crinkle in an easy smile. The sound of a skateboard on sidewalk. High cheekbones. Tye-dye shirts. _Cropped_ shirts. A cracked helmet. Inside jokes. And no judgement.

Willie is grounding. Even when he should be the last person to be that for Alex, honestly. He's impulsive and loud and brash, so much the opposite of him, and he's always touching him too: a hand on his back, or an arm thrown around his shoulders. 

And Alex falls for him hard, obviously. 

"Dude," Willie says one day. They're walking down the street, fingers laced together, and Alex feels like he's on top of the world to be with this beautiful boy. He almost doesn't pay attention to what he says next: "Your hands are like freezing."

"Oh." Alex flushes slightly then, hunches his shoulders a little bit. "I have really bad circulation. Symptom of anxiety." Even if Willie knows about his anxiety--and has asked about it with gentle concern and wholehearted respect--Alex isn't used to talking about it. He feels self conscious. 

Willie stops him. He cups his hands in both of his, his own clasped around them, with a grin. He's a little shorter than Alex, only a couple of inches; and his shoulders aren't quite as broad. Alex thinks of Luke picking Reggie up when they were younger. At the same time, Willie has a hold on him that has nothing to do with his size. 

"...that'll warm your hands up, Hotdog," Willie says teasingly. 

If Alex could take his eyes off of him then he would've said something about the ridiculous nickname. He doesn't. 


End file.
